To get into a degree at a public higher-education institution through the Concurso Nacional de Acesso (Portugal's national university admissions round), applicants are ranked by an application grade (nota de candidatura) from 0 to 200. Understanding how that grade is built helps decide where to put the effort: the secondary-school average, the entrance exams, or both.
The rules in this guide are those of the DGE's Guia Geral de Exames 2026 (general exams guide). The weights, entrance exams and minimum scores for each degree vary from institution to institution and are published every year by the DGES (the directorate-general for higher education).
What the application grade is made of
| Component | Weight in the application grade |
|---|---|
| Final secondary-school grade | At least 40% |
| Entrance exams (national exams) | At least 45% |
| Ranking prerequisites, where the degree requires them | At most 15% |
Each institution chooses the exact weights within these limits, degree by degree. When a degree requires two entrance exams, each is worth half of the exams' weight, unless the institution sets a different split.
The secondary-school average
For university entry, the final secondary-school grade is calculated to one decimal place, without rounding, and converted to the 0 to 200 scale. An average of 15.2 (out of 20) counts as 152 points.
That average comes from the final grades of each subject. In subjects with a national exam sat as an internal student, the final subject grade (CFD) is (7.5 × CIF + 2.5 × CE) ÷ 10: 75% of the internal school grade and 25% of the exam. To finish secondary school on the general academic (científico-humanísticos) courses, students sit exams in Portuguese and in two subjects from their specific training.
The entrance exams
- Each institution sets the entrance exams (provas de ingresso) for each degree, usually no more than two, and may accept up to three alternative sets.
- Entrance exams are national secondary-school exams. They count in exact points, without rounding: an exam with 124 points is worth 124 as an entrance exam, but 12 out of 20 towards the subject average.
- There is a minimum entrance-exam score, set by each institution, which is always at least 95 points.
- There is also a minimum for the application grade itself, separate from the previous one.
- For the 2026 application round, exams taken in 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 or 2026 were valid, and the 2026 Guia uses exactly that example.
A worked example, step by step
An illustrative example with made-up numbers. The real weights and exams for each degree are in the DGES application guides.
A degree gives 50% to the secondary-school average and 50% to the entrance exams, and requires two exams: Matemática A and Física e Química A. The applicant has an average of 15.2, 160 points in Matemática A and 140 points in Física e Química A.
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Secondary average in points | 15.2 × 10 | 152 |
| Weight of the average (50%) | 152 × 0.50 | 76.0 |
| Matemática A (25%, half of the exams) | 160 × 0.25 | 40.0 |
| Física e Química A (25%) | 140 × 0.25 | 35.0 |
| Application grade | 76.0 + 40.0 + 35.0 | 151.0 |
Notice the effect of each component: raising Matemática A from 160 to 180 points adds 5 points to the application grade. To get the same from the secondary average, it would have to rise by a whole point, from 15.2 to 16.2, which usually means raising several subjects over several years.
How the national admissions round works
- Applications are made online on the DGES website, with a password requested that year. A password from a previous year does not work.
- You need the Ficha ENES, requested from the school where you sat your exams, which brings together your valid entrance exams and your secondary-school grade.
- In each phase, each applicant can list up to six institution/degree pairs, in order of preference.
- There are three phases. The Guia Geral de Exames 2026 set out: first phase from 21 July to 4 August for students with Portuguese secondary education (21 to 28 July for those with foreign secondary education), second phase from 25 August to 3 September, and third phase from 23 to 25 September. Each year's dates are confirmed by the DGES.
Watch out for second-phase exams
An exam taken in the second exam phase can only be used as an entrance exam from the second phase of that year's admissions round. It also only enters the secondary-school average for the second phase of the round. In later years it counts for any phase. For anyone relying on an improvement in July, this changes the strategy.
What this means in practice
- Check early, in the DGES guides, the entrance exams and weights for the degrees you want. They vary between institutions.
- Because exams are worth at least 45%, every point in an exam that is an entrance exam weighs heavily in the application.
- Do not neglect the average: it is worth at least 40% and builds up over three years.
- Plan exam improvements in good time, knowing from which phase of the round they start to count.
Common questions
How much do exams weigh in the entrance grade?
Entrance exams are worth at least 45% of the application grade. Exams also feed into the secondary-school average through the final subject grades (25% of the CFD), and that average is worth at least 40%.
What is the minimum grade to get into a degree?
There are two minimums, both set by each institution: one for the entrance exams, always at least 95 points, and another for the application grade. They are in the DGES application guides.
Is the secondary-school average rounded?
No. For university entry it is calculated to one decimal place, without rounding, and converted to the 0 to 200 scale.
How many degrees can I apply to?
In the national round, up to six institution/degree pairs in each phase, in order of preference.
Can I use exams from previous years?
Yes. In the 2026 round, exams taken from 2022 to 2026 were valid. Second-phase exams have the limitations explained above in the year they are taken.
